Taiwan is expanding and modernizing its annual Han Kuang joint military exercise to better prepare the military and population for a PLA invasion. Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Koo announced on June 26 plans for military-civilian coordination operations and civil defense drills to occur simultaneously with Han Kuang to simulate greater realism.[1] The exercise will simulate a PRC blockade and invasion […]

Executive Summary This report analyses the geopolitical consequences of Russia officially recognising the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in July 2025. Following the Taliban’s removal from Russia’s terrorist list, this move shows Moscow’s intention to broaden collaboration in trade, infrastructure, and regional security. Russia’s acknowledgment is part of a larger strategy to expand its influence in Central and South Asia, a […]

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has rejected US claims that Afghan-American businessman Mahmood Shah Habibi was arrested by the General Directorate of Intelligence. Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, said in a statement that the IEA had inspected all relevant authorities, following a petition by Habibi’s family, but there was no sign he was arrested by any […]

Muttaqi added that this realistic decision by Russia would be remembered as a major development in the history of bilateral relations and would serve as a good example for other countries to take similar steps. The Afghan Foreign Ministry announced late Thursday that Dmitry Zhirnov, the Russian Ambassador to Kabul, formally conveyed the decision of the Russian government during a […]

China and Iran both seek to counter American influence in the Middle East and have long cooperated to further that shared goal. China provides Iran with inputs for its ballistic missile program, helps Tehran circumvent international sanctions by purchasing Iranian oil, and has provided limited support to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Together with Russia, both countries regularly conduct […]

The U.S. and Israeli attacks last month on Iran to “obliterate” its nuclear program may have hit another target: Central Asia’s interests in accesses the large Iranian market and use Iran’s transport links to trade with the wider world. Iran’s “Look East” policy was launched by then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2005 to improve relations with Russia, China, and India to […]

Taliban said on Wednesday that the working group meeting, held under the UN-led Doha Process, focused on joint efforts to combat drug trafficking, promote alternative livelihoods, and expand addiction treatment and rehabilitation services. A spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior said the meeting, which concluded Tuesday, included “comprehensive discussions to strengthen coordination, share experiences, and pursue joint initiatives among […]

ISLAM QALA, HERAT — Afghan migrants recently deported from Iran say they were expelled without notice, while their spouses and children were left behind, separated at the border with no clear means of reunification. Several returnees interviewed at the Islam Qala crossing in western Herat Province said they were detained during routine workdays, held in detention camps, and then deported […]

The Jamiat-e-Islami party, led by former foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani, called on Iran and Pakistan to reconsider their policies of forcibly deporting Afghan migrants, warning that Afghanistan’s current conditions are unsafe for return. In a statement issued Tuesday, the party said many returnees face serious threats under Taliban rule and emphasized that the internal situation in Afghanistan is not conducive […]

This article examines the scale and impact of Chinese IUU fishing operations globally and identifies the nature of the challenge posed by IUU fishing in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). It also investigates why existing maritime law and international frameworks have struggled to address this growing threat. The world’s oceans are witnessing a continuous growth in illegal, unreported, and unregulated […]